


Three Truths

by Celestiare



Series: the three reveals [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: ADRIEN AND MARINETTE LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH IT HURTS, F/M, First Kiss!, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Oneshot, Post-Relationship, Pre-Relationship, and, just like i promised :), oh yo i worked really hard on this one :), per usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 08:22:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20636081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celestiare/pseuds/Celestiare
Summary: A Subconscious List of Truths by Marinette Dupain-Cheng:One: The Earth is round.Two: Some secrets should stay secret.Three: She is undeniably in love with (only) Adrien Agreste.(tl;dr: Marinette's love confession goes terribly wrong as her truths begin to unravel)





	Three Truths

Marinette was absolutely _certain_ of these three***** truths:

**One: The Earth is round.** (No matter how many times Kim tries to convince her otherwise- they will not fall off the edge of the earth if they walk towards the horizon. Sometimes she threatens to throw them all over the edge just to prove his theory, and strangely enough, there were no volunteers nor any mentions of a flat earth for a week.)

**Two: Some secrets should stay secret.** (And Marinette doesn't just mean the playful secrets she spills to Alya- there really are some things that should never see the light of day. Even Alya doesn't know about the hoard of pictures she keeps under her bed of Adrien- and god forbid if Adrien ever finds out. But Marinette knows there are worse things to keep from friends.)

**Three: She is undeniably in love with Adrien Agreste.** (She thinks maybe a little too much because sometimes she loves him so much that it fills her chest, and she's scared it might spill over and break her one day. That's a secret she plans on keeping to herself.)

What she never expected was to find that all of these certain truths to be false _(even if just for a moment)._

Not when a green light fills an alleyway, a surprised squeak, and her name painfully clear among the silence.

_"Marinette?"_

Marinette blinks, her heart in her throat. She’s vaguely aware that her legs are moving, before her surroundings blur and she suddenly realizes that she's _falling_.

_(*Who could forget her lesser-known truth? Her clumsiness will certainly be her downfall. No pun intended.)_

* * *

**First (Falsified) Truth: The Earth is round.**

The world is flat.

Ladybug nor Marinette Dupain-Cheng ever brings this specific Akuma attack up ever again, and thoroughly avoids any questions relating to the incident. She avoids the sudden surplus of Flat-Earth organizations on social media and how for ten minutes they were right.

The next day Kim is laughing, just as stunned as they are, and Marinette can't help but groan and hide her face into her hands all day. Her only solace is that Adrien seems just as exasperated- although albeit more amused than she is.

What Marinette didn't realize was that this was only the beginning of the metaphorical end.

* * *

**Second (Falsified) Truth:** **She is undeniably in love with only Adrien Agreste.**

It's painfully obvious to anyone within a 50 mile radius of the poor girl. Sometimes Marinette wonders if she was cursed by some teenage hormonal deity and forever bound to stutter and trip around the infamously oblivious Adrien Agreste. Alya offered to perform a cleansing ritual on Marinette, who politely declined after some careful consideration. No amount of salt and candle wax could save her poor soul.

Although there were times where she heavily reconsidered that decision.

"I know you can do it!" Alya whispers, her voice far too cheery for the situation in Marinette's opinion. Instead, Marinette squeaks and clutches a pink envelope to her chest, her heartbeat nearly bounding out of her ribs. Students milled outside the school, enjoying the warm breeze that swept the city as they prepared to walk home for lunch. Marinette dragged Alya over to an abandoned tree, hiding under the dappled shade.

"No, no, no-" Marinette frantically whispered back, clutching onto Alya's shoulders, careful of the letter in her hand. She tried to stave off the feeling of nausea that rose up from her stomach. "I- I don't think I can do it, not today, _Alya-"_

Alya raised an eyebrow, her lips set in a line before she settled her hands on Marinette's shoulders.

"Girl, how many times have you been telling yourself that?"

Marinette faltered. Her grip loosened on Alya's shoulders as she then looked to the side, catching sight of a familiar head of blonde hair. Adrien was laughing, his hand coming up to conceal his smile, causing a certain delight to bloom in her chest. Marinette felt her tensed shoulders begin to relax, like a candle flame to frost. Turning back to Alya, Marinette straightened her back, her eyes shining with resolve.

"Too many times."

"That's right," Alya said, before grinning and winking. "But today's going to be different, right? You're brave and kind, and nothing is stopping you, Marinette! Besides, Adrien can't wait around forever. Someone might be planning a confession right now and boom! Suddenly, Adrien is taken an-"

"Not helping!" Marinette cries out, the panic clear in her voice. Her hands came up to cover her face, dragging down as though she could wipe the anxiety that was surely painted across. Alya laughed and wrapped an arm across Marinette's shoulder, playfully bumped the sides of their hips together.

"I was just kidding about the last part, Mari! But real talk, Adrien is _literally_ a celebrity. He has tons of fangirls-" Marinette ignores the sidelong glance Alya gives her, "and they're all vying for his attention! If you don't do something about it-"

"Are you suggesting a Battle Royal with all his admirers?" Marinette deadpans, ignoring the huff from Alya.

"No! What I'm trying to say is that you're a step above them all! I mean, you actually know Adrien Agreste! Probably a little more than you should, but still!"

Marinette gasps, her face burning. "Alya!"

"You didn't deny it!" Alya laughs, before pulling away and nodding towards the boy in question. "Ready?"

Marinette groans and tilts her head back, the slim piece of paper in her hands feeling heavier than before. "Yes."

"Marinette, you sound like you're going to die. Be excited! Besides, I'll be there for emotional support!" Alya grinned, gently taking Marinette's arm and guided them to their group of friends. Marinette tried not to drag her feet into the concrete, wishing that she was home, under her covers, safe with her dreams and possibilities of the future.

But how could she fear Adrien?

As they came closer, the sound of their laughter became clearer, and the ringing in Marinette's ears became louder. Once they were close enough, Alya moved her hand to give Marinette a comforting pat on the back before raising it and waving to the duo.

"Hey, guys!" Alya smiled while Marinette was busy internally screaming. Adrien looked up, his eyes softening as he then smiled.

"Hey," Nino grins back first, his eyes meeting Alya as he then raises an eyebrow. Alya nods and Marinette curses their flawless communication.

"What's up?" Adrien asks, his face so open and genuine as he rests his hand on his backpack. Marinette feels as though all her words are sticking to the back of her throat, and maybe she's choking-

Alya jabs an elbow into Marinette's side which reels her back in.

"Uh- hey!" Marinette stutters, her face so warm she's worried she might implode. "W- we, uh, wanted to just stop by, you know, since we're-" Marinette rambles, trying to grasp for the words and the fact that Adrien's eyes only get softer as she goes on. His eyes are so wide and honest Marinette feels as though she's going to fall right through the ground.

And that's when Marinette's luck starts to go south.

She suddenly feels someone else's back slamming into hers and the clatter of a board. Marinette loses her grip on her letter, the paper fluttering somewhere in the distance as Marinette cries out. She clenches her eyes close and prepares herself for the fall. And just as quickly, she feels a pair of hands wrapping around her waist and the other on her arm, keeping her up. A dull ache spreads across her body, causing her to wince as she leans forward, putting most of her weight onto the person who helped her.

"Are you okay?" She hears them ask. A jolt of energy sparks through her body, numbing the pain. She looks up and finds her eyes unnervingly close to Adrien's own. His eyebrows scrunch together as he grips her tighter. He looks at her as though she's the only thing in focus, and Marinette feels her breath hitch.

And Marinette is reminded of why she loves him.

"I'm fine," Marinette breathes because even though she hurts, she can't even feel the pain with his eyes on hers. Pulling her up, Adrien carefully holds onto Marinette, not letting her go even when Alya rushes to Marinette's side, Nino right beside her. The boy who ran into her was pulling himself up with the help of his friends, all who were scolding him.

"Girl, are you okay? That skateboarder just totally almost wiped you out!" Alya cried, her hand going to Marinette's other shoulder. Marinette just groans. Adrien's face grows even more worried.

"Yeah, it looked pretty bad," Nino winces, his hand going to his neck as he then looks back at the other group. The boy rubs his hand against his head, his knees scraped. He nearly wobbles over, his face clearly panicked as he looks Marinette over.

"I'm so sorry-" He says and Marinette just shakes her head in response. "Do you need me to take you to the nurse's office-"

"It's okay, I got it." Adrien intervenes, hitching Marinette so he's closer to his side and easier to support. Marinette buzzes with energy. "You should probably come with us-"

"I'm fine, it kinda happens all the time," The boy says, giving an embarrassed laugh, but his face is still riddled with guilt.

"Adrien, you should probably take her now," Alya says, her features scrunched with worry. Marinette feels as though her head is buzzing but for completely different reasons.

"Right," Adrien says, and before anyone can say anything, Alya nods and smiles, taking Nino's arm to keep him in place.

"Nino and I will wait back here for you guys, okay?"

Marinette is keenly aware of the way she is pressed against Adrien, his shirt threaded between her fingers.

"O-okay," Marinette says, her voice is a bit shaky and Adrien looks down at her, his lip worrying between his teeth.

"We'll be back," Adrien says to the duo as they move forward, Adrien's hands never leaving her body. Marinette thinks she breathes out a thank you, but she still feels unsteady.

As they walk back into the school, Marinette tries to ignore the heavy stares that follow them. She ignores the way her feet wobble and the way she's sure that Adrien could hear her heartbeat from here. Turning down another corridor, which is thankfully empty, does she finally find her voice.

"Thank you, Adrien," Marinette says, keeping eyes focused on the end of the hallway, anywhere to avoid Adrien's eyes because at this point she feels as though her knees will give out with the intensity of his gaze. She suddenly thinks back to the car waiting for him outside and she feels a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, you probably have to go-"

"It's okay, Marinette," Adrien says, and Marinette thinks she's maybe a little more injured than she thought because she thinks he sounds a little breathless too. "You don't have to worry about me. You were the one who was just got ran into."

"Nothing unusual," Marinette grumbles, the words falling past her lips as she becomes bolder and familiar in his presence. "It kinda feels like I attract bad luck."

Marinette is surprised to find that Adrien actually laughs, shaking his head.

"I don't know why. If anything, it's the opposite. I mean, your lucky charm always brings me good luck," Adrien replies and Marinette feels as though she's been electrified by the admission. She tries to steady the shakiness in her hands by holding him closer. She thinks back to the little beaded bracelet she gave to him a little over a year ago, and the fact that he kept it makes her mind whirl.

"You still have it?" Marinette breathes, her eyes widening as she finally looks up to meet Adrien's gaze.

"Of course," He says, albeit a little confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

Marinette's face heats up and is sure that all her blood is rushing towards her head.

"Marinette? Are you feeling okay?" Adrien asks, his face going back to worried as he then slows down his pace till they've stopped. There's a wall behind Marinette and she leans against it, giving him a shaky smile.

"I-I'm fine!" Marinette says, hoping she looks convincing enough. "Just- a little out of it."

"It's okay," Adrien says, his voice softer and Marinette nearly dies. "We can rest here until you feel better. I'll be right here."

Marinette finds it within herself to nod. How can she explain to him that everything she was feeling- was because of him?

There was no way Marinette could explain that one without making their relationship complicated at best.

"Thank you, again, Adrien," Marinette says, closing her eyes as she presses her head against the wall. "For, uh, everything."

Marinette feels the fabric of a shirt brush against her arm. She opens to find Adrien leaning against the wall beside her, their shoulders touching. Marinette leans to the side, bearing some of her weight onto him. The side of their hands brush together and Marinette feels as though her skin is prickling over with the desire just to twine their fingers together. It's so simple and easy, yet Marinette pushes the urge down in favor of just his touch.

"You don't ever have to thank me for that, Marinette." Adrien smiles before his voice turns a little hesitant. "It's what you would have done."

Marinette peeks a look at Adrien, and for once notices the slight stiffness in his posture. His cheeks are a dusty pink- hardly noticeable but still there. Marinette's chest squeezes.

Adrien Agreste is _nervous_.

Marinette blinks, before her lips tilt upwards and she's looking down at the tiles again. Before she can stop herself, a simple question slips past her lips.

"Are _you_ okay, Adrien?"

Adrien starts, his eyes widening before he gives a little laugh. He pulls hand through his blonde hair in embarrassment, his face flushed as he shakes his head. "Me? I'm fine, more than fine, really. Just, uh- worried you know? For you."

"I'm fine, Adrien, honest," Marinette admits, slumping further against the wall as her throat tightens. She knows an admission of her own is building up inside her, and she's scared for when it finally happens. "I'm actually not really that hurt." Her fingers find the fabric of her shirt, her knuckles nearly white as she twists at the fabric. "I- I'm just nervous."

"Nervous?" Adrien asks, his voice a little soft and Marinette looks up in alarm, just in time to see his crestfallen face. Marinette straightens, her eyes widening in horror as she realizes what she said.

"N-no! Not like that! Not like, because I'm alone with you- well no- yes!" Marinette says, her voice panicked before groaning and pressing her hands to her face. She's grateful for the temporary distraction of her cools palms against her overheated face- and the fact she can't see him at all. "Not for the reasons you think."

There's a small moment of silence between before Adrien finally speaks.

"Marinette, you know you can tell me anything, right? If you-" He pauses, as though he's trying to gather a resolve of his own. Carefully, and ever so gently, she feels another pair of hands cover hers. He slowly lowers them from her face and she offers no resistance. "If you need to tell me anything, I'll always be here to listen. No matter what."

Marinette's eyes widen, her breath frozen in her chest.

"Adrien," Marinette carefully says, looking down to their still clasped hands as a steady resolve flows through her. Her confession is just below the surface, ready to be seen and Marinette feels it in her chest because she's finally ready. "I- I actually have something to tell you- for a while now."

Adrien's eyes widen, just before an explosion rocks the ground.

Wincing, Marinette closes her eyes as Adrien pulls her quickly against him, his arm going around her waist and the other over her head as the building shakes again, the frame creaking. Marinette feels an uncharacteristic amount of anger towards the Akuma and Hawkmoth himself. Just one day- even ten minutes did she need to be just Marinette with no Akuma's to worry about.

When they pull away, Adrien takes her hand to steady her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah- yeah I'm fine!" Marinette says, pressing a hand to her forehead as she groans. She needs to leave now. She hesitates, regret already blooming in chest before she speaks again. "Actually, I'm starting to feel really sick. I'm going to go the nurse's office okay, and probably hide there."

"Okay, good idea. I'll walk with you to make sure you get there safely," Adrien says, his eyes hardened as he then tightens his grip around Marinette and leads her to the office. Marinette feels her heart skip a beat before she scolds herself.

Not now.

Together, they run as fast as they are able to, with Marinette pretending to feel a little woozier than she feels before they finally reach the end of the hallway. Adrien hastily opens the door for her, allowing her to step inside before him. The nurse is there, her eyes widening as she takes in the duo. Adrien is the first to speak, his voice filled with worry as he carefully holds Marinette up.

"Can you take care of, Marinette? She's hurt-"

Marinette nods, groaning a little more than she needs to before pressing a hand to her back. "I- I think it's my back-"

The nurse nods, carefully taking Marinette's grasp and leads her to sit down in a chair. Marinette sits heavily down and tilts her head back, closing her eyes. The nurse frowns, before turning back to Adrien.

"Of course, but both of you should stay till the Akuma attack is over. It's unsafe out there-"

But Adrien's already backing out of the room, his eyes still worried as he looks at Marinette. He's frowning, looking so unsure and Marinette has a feeling he doesn't want to leave.

"I'll be right back, okay, Marinette? Stay here,_ please-"_

Marinette gasps, her eyes going wide as she forces herself not to jump from her seat. "Adrien- no!"

With one last look, Adrien is already gone, the door closing behind him. Marinette feels her stomach twist and for a moment she's worried she might actually throw up. Marinette stares up at the nurse, who looks exasperated, before narrowing her eyes down to Marinette.

"You better not do the same thing as that young man!" She scolds, but her voice is still laden with concern as she throws one last look to the door. "Teenage boys can be so reckless."

"Ma'am-" Marinette gasps, clutching her stomach with more force than necessary. "I- I need to go to the bathroom. I'm feeling really sick."

The nurse nods, looking a little relieved at the fact that Marinette's not going anywhere anytime soon.

"Okay, Sweetheart. The bathroom is right around the corner over there-"

But Marinette is already out of her seat, bolting to the room. Nearly slamming the door open, she closes it behind her and forces the lock, trying to steady her hands. Her hands whipped to her purse and whipped the clasp open, watching as Tikki flew to face her, her blue eyes just as worried as hers.

"Tikki!" Marinette whispers, her voice tinged with panic. "Adrien- he just left! Right into an Akuma attack-"

"Marinette, I know! But we can't worry about that right now! In order to save Adrien, you need to focus your attention on being Ladybug! If you're worried like this, then you can't help him- or Paris!"

Marinette nods, forcing herself to take a deep breath. Marinette rationally knew that worrying over Adrien would only cause more problems. Ladybug thinks with her head, not her heart. She takes a moment to collect herself, before relaxing. Marinette knows if only worried about saving only Adrien, then she could lose her focus and doom Paris to an even worse fate. _Paris was counting on her._

"You're right," Marinette says, opening her eyes. "I have to stay focused," Marinette says as she widens her stance, resolve blooming in her chest.

_"Tikki! Spots on!"_

Ladybug finds an open window and as quietly as possible, slips out of the room.

When she arrived at the scene, Ladybug nearly goes white with mortification.

The Akumatized person, a girl no older than herself, was haphazardly swiping a wand through the air, a horribly familiar pink letter clutched on her other hand.

_"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG,"_ The girl snarled, her eyes wild, mascara-like paint streaking down her face. Her outfit was reminiscent of the Shakespearian era- and Ladybug would have laughed if not for the situation. Another modern tragedy. Instead, Ladybug flinched at the absolute venom dripping from the girl's voice, each punctuated vowel piercing through her. _"WHERE IS SHE?"_

Ladybug nearly jolts when Chat lands beside her, an uneasy smile on his face. "Hello, M'Lady."

"Chat, what's going on? Why is she so angry with-" Ladybug nearly cringes as she forces the question, already knowing the answer. "Marinette?"

"I don't know," Chat says, his eyes narrowing as he then whirls his baton, his eyes briefly sweeping back to the school building. "But I made sure Marinette is safe. Unfortunately, I think we missed that part where we all get out the name tags-"

"Chat!" Ladybug groans, her eyes flitting to the sky. She turns back to the akuma and tries to stay level headed. "I think that the Akuma- She's jealous of Marinette."

As if on cue, the akumatized girl whirls around, a bitter smile painting her lips.

"Hello, Heroes~" She coos, her wand raised as she aims for the duo. "I hope you've brought me little Marinette!"

Chat grabs Ladybug and throws them to the side as a beam of light demolishes the roadwork beside them. Ladybug hisses, her back hurting more than she thought as she hit the ground. Chat's eyes widen, as he then hastily stands and pulls her up with him.

"Old injury?" He asks, and Ladybug nods, her eyes never leaving the Akuma.

"Don't worry about me," Ladybug says, her eyes flitting to the pink envelope. "Just get that paper!"

Chat doesn't question how she knows so soon, but only springs into action.

Heartbreaker, Ladybug would later come to find out, nearly wipes out Chat Noir with a single sentence.

"Adrien, should have been mine," She weeps, swinging out her wand with a blow that Chat easily dodges, "Marinette doesn't deserve him! This is just a stupid love confession-"

Chat eyes widen comically just before her weapon connects with his face, sending him flying into a nearby car. He's fine, of course, despite the dazed look on his face as he rises, the wide-eyed look never quite going away for the rest of the fight.

Ladybug just prays that wherever Adrien is, he isn't watching the news. It's a bit naive and hopeless, but it's all she can do.

Ten minutes later, pastel pink paper is thoroughly ripped to shreds with a little more force than necessary as a little butterfly appears. Ladybug flicks out her wrist, capturing it, her lips set in a thin line. Ladybug has no connection to this, but Marinette feels tears pricking at her eyes.

Chat notices the slight wobble of her lip and is automatically at her side. He doesn't press but just settles his hand on her shoulder. He's as comforting as the cameras allow him to be, before Ladybug nods. There's a light shining in her eyes and extra time on their Miraculous's before they come to a wordless agreement.

Flying to the nearest rooftop that's out of sight, Ladybug goes to the chimney and presses her back to the brick. She closes her eyes and pushes a hand through her hair.

"M'lady?" Chat asks, before Ladybug groans and nearly laughs to ease the complete embarrassment coursing through her veins.

"I really messed up today, Chaton." Ladybug breathes, thinking back to the letter and the Akuma, and the fact that Adrien has to know by now. To think of all the anxiety leading up to her confession- only to have it be publicly known.

"Hey, everything's going to be okay, LB." Chat says, his voice soft as he settles his hands onto her shoulders. Ladybug opens her eyes and finds that he's leaning down to her level, a kind smile on his face. "You of all people should know that." His eyes are so green and honest- it brings her back to another boy she loves.

Another boy.

Another boy that she_ loves._

A bubble of laughter rises in Ladybug's throat because she realizes she's even more screwed than she thought.

Instead, Chat just envelops her into a hug and Ladybug can't explain the way her chest warms. She just closes her eyes and holds him closer, because it's all she can do.

Only when their miraculous chime do they finally pull away. Ladybug smiles, her pulse jumping in her chest. Chat returns the smile and gently takes her hand.

"Meet me for patrol tonight, okay? Just know that everything is going to be alright- no matter what." Chat says as he then gives her hand a comforting squeeze, winks, and bounds away.

Ladybug stands there, pulling her hand to her chest, and tries to calm her heart. She tries to push down the feelings, but they only rise definitely up. The rational part of her mind tells her she should probably get off the roof before she detransforms, but she stays there for a moment longer, a small smile on her lips.

And for a moment, she pretends that everything is okay.

Marinette lands in an empty alleyway, pressing her forehead against the wall as Tikki hovers beside her.

"Tikki!" Marinette groans, wincing as the rough surface of the wall scratches her head. "This is bad! Chat Noir- Adrien-" She gives a frustrated sigh and tugs her fingers through her hair, while Tikki giggles beside her. "Why is this so _difficult-"_

"Oh, Marinette!" Tikki smiles, her voice so light and comforting that Marinette can't help but press her forehead harder into the brick. "I know it may not seem like it now, but everything will be fine in the end!"

"For some reason, I'm having a hard time believing that."

Tikki says nothing, not even when Marinette gives her a sidelong look and the cutest pout she's ever seen from any of her previous holders.

* * *

**Third (Falsified) Truth:** **Some Secrets should stay secret.**

Marinette swears to every deity above that it was a simple coincidence.

She didn't plan to hide behind a dumpster, cringing as she presses her body to the wall, her heart pounding in her chest as she hears his familiar voice.

There's a flash of green light and Marinette feels lightheaded, the ringing in her ears becoming so loud she's sure everyone within the immediate vicinity can hear it.

"Plagg-" Marinette knows that she should leave, but it's far too late and she just prays he doesn't start walking her way. "She loves me. I can't believe it- _Marinette loves me."_

Marinette freezes, and for a split second, she feels as though her lungs are going to implode.

_Marinette loves me._

Chat Noir is ten feet away. Detransformed Chat Noir. _And Marinette loves him._

Marinette slides against the wall, her legs far too weak to keep her up. She hears a second voice, and this time assumes it's tiny Plagg, and Jesus Christ she wonders how many times they've had conversations like this before.

"Congrats, kiddo. About time you noticed."

"You _knew?"_

"Kid, _everyone_ knew." Marinette turns a fiery shade of red, because god she knew she wasn't discrete but this takes the cake- "Tikki and I were going a little crazy about when the two of you would finally-"

Marinette jolts at the mention of her Kwami's name and is fairly certain that Plagg knows that she's here. Panic burned in her veins as she then stares at Tikki, who's staring just as wildly back, a painfully awkward smile on her lips. Marinette shakes her head, before swallowing and holding out her purse. She nods to it before Tikki quickly catches on and hides within the confines of her bag.

Marinette gathers all of her rapidly decreasing courage, steadies her breathing and peaks around the side of the dumpster.

Adrien Agreste is standing there, his posture so relaxed as he talks to his Kwami, his arms animate and fuck- Marinette feels like she's going to cry.

_Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir._

The two people she's been chasing- the people she's loved more than she's loved anyone else, was right there and she didn't even know where to start.

She looks back to the alleyway again, her heart crawling up her throat, and wonders how quickly she can make it before Adrien- _Chat Noir_ notices.

Her mind is just screaming mental profanities as she stands, still wobbly, her mind on autopilot as she begins awkwardly walking towards the exit because that's the only place she can think of going. Marinette would have liked to think she would have made it too, not before her foot kicks an empty coke bottle, sending it flying down the alley. The sound is painfully clear in the small space. She hears the abrupt silence of the conversation behind her and this time Marinette really does wish she dead because that's how she feels on the inside.

She stands there for a moment like a child, hoping that since she can't see Adrien, he can't see her. But that doesn't stop him from saying her name.

_"Marinette?"_

Marinette doesn't turn around, only cringes for a moment, before carefully and slowly, turns around on her heel. She's smiling, but it's so wobbly and her face is burning so much she's scared she might really catch fire.

"H-Hey! Adrien- I was just-" Marinette is walking backward now because her voice sounds so high-pitched and she knows there is no excuse in the world that would get her out of this. Her feet, though, still haven't caught up with her mind and she suddenly realizes that she's _falling._

In a split second Adrien is there, his arms reaching around her, his arms tight around her waist and Marinette is reminded of the incident that happened not only an hour ago.

Adrien's eyes are so worried and his eyebrows are knitted together, and for split-second Marinette finds herself wanting to laugh. Marinette grips Adrien's shoulders because she needs something to hold onto as she contemplates what to do next. The answer is so glaringly obvious she really can't help but let a soft sound of laughter escape her lips.

Adrien's eyebrows are screwed up in confusion now, as helps Marinette stand up, their hands never leaving each other.

"Marinette-" Adrien begins, his voice laden with near panic as he then looks behind her, his voice quieting as he leans forward. "I- I don't know how much you saw, or heard, but please, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, not Alya, even your parents-"

"Oh, Minou," Marinette smiles, her eyes shining as her heart picks up for entirely different reasons. All her earlier panic falls away because she realizes Adrien is just as scared as her, but really, what is there be afraid of? "Everything will be okay. Although next time, we should be more careful about what alleyway we detransform in."

Adrien's face goes through so many emotions at one- first shock, then disbelief, then absolute _elation_.

_"Ladybug?"_

Marinette only smiles, nodding her head as Adrien's eyes begin to shine.

"I can't believe it," Adrien says, his voice light with watery sort of laughter too, his eyes so vulnerable Marinette can't help but hold him tighter. "It was you- It was you all along, Marinette."

Adrien pulls her up to her feet and suddenly the two find themselves in a tight embrace, Adrien's head in the juncture of her neck and shoulder, Marinette clutching at the fabric of his shirt as she nearly cries into his hair.

"It's me," Marinette says, her voice light as her shoulder shakes with laughter that's mixed with disbelief- but most of all delight. _"It's me, Chaton."_

Adrien smiles before he looks hesitant.

"Was it all true- everything in the letter?"

"Of course it was- everything. I-" Marinette turns a deeper shade of red as she prepares herself for the verbal admission because then it becomes very real and there's taking it back, but she knows it's something she could never do. "I've loved you for a long time, Adrien."

Adrien's eyes turn so soft Marinette is sure she's melting right into his embrace.

"M'lady," Adrien says, before pulling away, his hand coming up to gently cup around her jawline, his eyes now a little desperate and Marinette sure it's a look that's mirrored in hers. Marinette knows he doesn't need to voice her reply to let her know that he loves her too. "Can I-" And he chokes a little on the end, so Marinette just nods, a smile as she closes her eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

She leans on her tiptoes, her entire body singing, her fingertips tingling. She's sure the whole world can feel the buzz that runs through her body, so alive with the knowledge that it was finally happening- Adrien was Chat Noir. Her kind, selfless classmate was the same boy who always had her side, someone who she trusted with her life. It was a kind of love that almost scared her, because how was she supposed to know this sort of devotion at fifteen?

But when she feels his lips against hers, soft and smooth, she smiles into the kiss, nearly lightheaded with delight. She slides her hand up his arm before smoothing over the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Adrien's free hand tugs around her waist, and she's never been surer of anything in her life.

When they finally pull away, Marinette is breathless and her eyes are wide, Adrien fairing no better. Adrien leans closer, his eyes sweeping over her face as he presses his forehead to hers, looking at her as though she were a night sky.

"I really hate to be the one to say this," Adrien says, a faint blush covering his face. "But we should probably head back to class before anyone notices."

Marinette gasps this time, her eyes flaring wide as she then scrambles to her feet. Still close to him, Marinette tugs out her cellphone, unlocking it and scrolling through her missed messages.

"Oh no," She groans, pressing her forehead to his chest as she tries to ignore the way her heart still jumps. "Alya is going to go crazy when we come back."

"Well, we'll just have to come up with a convincing story, huh, Buggaboo?"

Marinette rolls her eyes, but it doesn't stop her from smiling.

"Well, I am going to have to be the brains of the relationship."

_"Hey!"_

* * *

The entire way back to school, they hold hands, their fingers intertwined. Marinette wonders if she's grasping his hand too hard if it was okay to let go and wipe her hand on her jeans because they were probably too sweaty- but Adrien looks so content and happy Marinette can't complain.

When they go through the doors, they look at each other, and in wordless communication head back to their lockers. Thankfully, it's empty with everyone being back in class, then lean against the metal and stare dopily at each other. Marinette wonders what the point of heading back to school as if they were just going to act the same in the alleyway, but with the ring of the bell, Marinette realizes that they only have a few minutes together before everyone heads back.

"I wish we had more time," Marinette nearly sighs, and she really does wish she could just back to the moment where they kissed, but she knows they still have a responsibility to go to school, but for one day she just wishes they could ditch. Adrien laughs, his hands on her waist as he leans down.

"We have probably one more minute before everyone comes in." He says, his eyes mischievous as they stand closer to each other. They know it's a dangerous game to play, but with everything that just happened, it's hard to keep their distance.

"If they walk in on us-" Marinette warns, but she's already putting her hands on his chest, tilting her head up.

"Don't worry, I'll keep watch." He says, just before closing his eyes. Marinette smiles and pecks at his lips and quickly pulls away, but Adrien is there again, giving her another kiss and Marinette can't bring herself to pull away. She knows if they get caught, they'll be bombarded with questions, when for just this once she wants to keep it between them. Their secret.

Hearing the door click open, they finally jump apart. Marinette struggles to regain her composure as she pulls open her locker. She tries not to look his way as everyone pours in, because she knows the look in their eyes would be a dead giveaway. She only looks up when she hears Alya call her name, loud with delight as she grips Marinette's shoulders.

"Mari! Girl, what happened? You were gone for an hour," She leans in closer and lowers her voice, "and don't think I didn't notice that Adrien was missing too." She leans back and smiles and winks. "Just hope you two had fun."

"Alya!" Marinette cries, ignoring the pure delight on Alya's face as she turns back to her locker, grabbing random notebooks and anything she could use to distract herself. "I- I don't know what you're talking about it. I had to go help Maman and Papa back at the bakery-"

Marinette splutters when Adrien walks up with Nino at his side, giving a polite wave as though they weren't just kissing a few minutes against the lockers.

"Hey, Marinette." He smiles while Marinette suppresses the urge to hit him, because how can he keep his cool so easily?

"What happened to you guys?" Nino begins, fixing his baseball cap as he looks between the two. "Alya and I went back to the nurse's office to see if you guys were there, but the lady there said Adrien ran off and Marinette just straight up disappeared-" Marinette squeaks as Adrien snorts, before hiding it with a cough.

"I-uh," Marinette rambles, grasping for some sort of logic in her disappearance. "Left before saying anything, which was kind of mess up, but! I didn't want, the uh- lady to worry, you know? I just-"

"It's okay, girl you don't have to explain to us." Alya laughs, shifting her glasses as she then sends a glance Nino's way who just shrugs, a grin of his own in his lips.

Marinette tries not to look Adrien's way, but the need to do so is buzzing throughout her and she doesn't know how much longer she can hold out. Thankfully, everyone's gathered their things and are moving out again. In the chaos, the back of Adrien's hand brushes her, and she looks up to see him giving her a teasing smile.

Marinette smiles back, and in a daring moment, moves her purse so that their hands are covered. She hooks their pinkies together because even if someone did see, their bags would cover the majority of their hands. Marinette knew it was risky, but seeing the smile on Adrien's lips as they connect, makes it all worthwhile. The walk back to the classroom is filled with loud laughter and Marinette is sure she's never felt happier.

Later that night during patrol, Ladybug smiles as they hide in the moonlight, their hands twined together.

"So what does this mean for us?" Chat asks, squeezing her hand as she looks up at him.

Ladybug hums, turning so that she leans into him, her head leaning on his shoulder.

"Whatever we want it to be," She says, bringing their hands to her eye-line, studying the contours and shapes in the dark. "But I'm hoping it's a sort of thing that lasts a long time."

Chat smiles softly, leaning down till his breath ghosts against his lips. His eyes are half-lidded as he asks his next question, but it's hard to concentrate but his words still create a light of warmth in her.

"I hope it lasts a lifetime," He whispers and Marinette's heart swells.

"Indefinitely," She adds, because it's a kind of love she knows will always last- even after they end. So, when they press their lips together, Marinette holds him and prays for a lifetime more this. Because she loves him so much and is no longer afraid of what it will bring.

And Marinette learns maybe it isn't so bad to be wrong once and awhile.


End file.
